India’s Got Latent row: Govt warns OTT platforms, social media over ‘obscene’ content

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has issued an advisory calling for stricter self-regulation, particularly in implementing access controls for ‘A’ rated content to prevent minors from consuming inappropriate material.
India’s Got Latent row: Govt warns OTT platforms, social media over ‘obscene’ content
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In light of the India’s Got Latent controversy, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has warned social media channels and OTT platforms to strictly adhere to the Code of Ethics under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The advisory, issued on Thursday, February 20, calls for stricter self-regulation, particularly in implementing access controls for ‘A’ rated content to prevent minors from consuming inappropriate material.

The notification comes amid controversy over podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia’s remarks in an episode of the stand-up comedy show India’s Got Latent, which was hosted on YouTube. The government ordered the removal of the episode following public backlash over its allegedly obscene content. The Ministry stated that it had received multiple complaints, including from Members of Parliament and statutory organisations, regarding the spread of "obscene, pornographic, and vulgar content" on certain OTT platforms and social media.

Senior I&B Ministry Advisor Kanchan Gupta confirmed the development and said that the Ministry had directed OTT platforms and their self-regulatory bodies to ensure compliance with the IT Rules, 2021. The advisory urges platforms to maintain stricter adherence to content classification guidelines and to prevent the transmission of prohibited content.

“This Ministry has received references from Hon’ble Members of Parliament, representations from statutory organisations, and public grievances regarding the alleged spread of obscene, pornographic, and vulgar content published by certain publishers of online curated content (OTT platforms) and social media,” the advisory stated. It further stressed that self-regulatory bodies must proactively oversee and ensure compliance with the Code of Ethics, taking necessary action in cases of violations.

The advisory also outlined legal provisions that prohibit the publication of obscene or pornographic content, referencing laws such as the Indecent Representation of Women Act, 1986, the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), 2023, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000. The government warned platforms of potential legal consequences for violations.

The notification follows recent scrutiny from the Supreme Court, which, while hearing Allahbadia’s plea against coercive action, questioned the government on the regulation of obscene content online. A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh strongly criticised the content and stated that the court would not "leave a vacuum" in addressing concerns over the misuse of online platforms.

“Union of India is a party... We would like to do something. Government of India will willingly do it, we will be very happy. Otherwise, we are not going to leave this vacuum. The way it is being misused by so-called YouTube channels... we have issued notice,” the bench observed.

The Supreme Court's remarks prompted a parliamentary panel to direct the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to submit a report assessing the effectiveness of existing regulations in addressing such cases and to recommend amendments to bring online platforms under stricter legal scrutiny.

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